Montessori education is one of the most popular methods for teaching preschoolers. It is the only preschool program based on a constructivist approach, meaning that the child is in charge of his learning. Also, children are encouraged to observe, explore, question and experiment. As a result, they learn through their senses and by doing.
One of the main focuses of Montessori education is to nurture a child’s self-confidence and independence. Therefore, parents and teachers highly encourage the children to learn independently, although adults still guide them. They also allow the children to take control of their learning development by themselves. It is one of the primary reasons why this method is so popular among parents.
Why Is It Important to Nurture Self Confidence at an Early Age?
Self-confidence is more than just confidence in oneself. It is also a feeling of being proud or feeling good about oneself and what one has done. The sense of confidence gives a person the feeling that they have the right to succeed at what they do. Self-confident people have the belief that they will succeed at whatever they undertake.
Children with high self-confidence will excel in their chosen fields and enjoy life, knowing they can take on the world. They will be able to deal with disappointments without feeling discouraged. They will take risks and have the attitude that they will succeed regardless of the outcome.
In school, children with high self-confidence are also more likely to have better grades and do better in their chosen fields. Children are more willing to learn from their mistakes because they have the self-assurance that they can still succeed in what they do. In dealing with others, a child with higher self-confidence is less likely to be intimidated or taken advantage of by peers or adults who may want to take advantage of them.
Thus, building your child’s self-confidence at an early age is a vital step to prepare him to face any challenges that may come on his way in the future. As a parent, how can we help our child develop self-confidence? Well, the answer is by providing our child with quality education, the Montessori Education.
Ways Montessori Education Builds Your Child Self-Confidence
1. Montessori Method
The Montessori Method is based on the principle of child-led education. Through observation and action, a child can discover their innate curiosity.
2. Guided Discovery
Children are encouraged to explore, ask questions, and build their knowledge at a ready pace. Children learn through experimentation and observation by observation, rather than memorizing facts or answers. In addition, asking questions and asking for help develops your child’s self-confidence as they feel capable of understanding the subject matter and pushing themselves independently.
3. Active Curiosity About the World
Children have free time to allow them to observe what happens in the world around them at an early age. As a result, they can question, explore and experience new things without any pressure or stress. In addition, by making learning an enjoyable process, children begin to develop a love for learning which sets up a foundation for success.
4. Individualized Curriculum
The Montessori curriculum is individualized. As a result, each child can proceed with their education according to their own pace and interests. In addition, it fosters self-confidence as children can take pride in their accomplishments and work at their own pace without getting bored or frustrated when they feel like they can’t keep up with the rest of the class.
5. Hands-on, Multisensory Learning
Children are offered lots of hands-on and multi-sensory learning methods to make learning more interesting for them.
Hands-on Learning
The Montessori method encourages children to work with or manipulate materials to foster their natural curiosity and discovery. Children are encouraged to touch materials, feel textures, see things in the environment and learn through thinking, questioning, and experimentation.
Multi-sensory Learning
Children are encouraged to explore their senses by using all of their five senses during learning experiences. Children will be able to observe through audio, visual, and tactile devices as they engage in activities that involve more than one sense at a time.
6. More Personal Attention
One of the significant factors contributing to a child’s self-confidence is having more one-on-one attention from their parents and teachers. Montessori schools usually have smaller class sizes, and teachers will spend more time with each child. Since teachers have the time to give individualized attention to each child, they can pay closer attention to their student’s social and emotional development. They can also detect any problems that need intervention or assistance for your child to continue learning.
7. Abundance of Free Time
Children have free time for them to feel less pressured when doing school work. As a result, children will develop a sense of independence and take pride in their work as they feel proud for accomplishing what they do even on their own without being obliged or forced into doing it.
8. Routing Order, Independence, and Concentration
Children are familiarized with a set order when doing activities or tasks. As a result, they can work independently with their materials and understand that it is essential for them to concentrate on what they do to succeed. When they encounter a challenging task, they feel encouraged to work hard until they feel successful at the task. They may experience frustrations along the way, but they learn that perseverance is an important life skill and feels proud of themselves once completing the task successfully.
9. Core Values
By using Montessori education, children are given a solid foundation of core values on which they can base their decisions and actions when faced with difficult situations in life. They are also taught to respect other people as they learn to get along with other children in the class.
10. Academic and Personal Success
Children who attend Montessori schools are more likely to do better academically by having higher grades and test scores. In addition, children are more willing to take risks even though they may fail at first as they know they have the confidence in their abilities to succeed regardless of what happens.
Developing your child’s self-confidence is vital for their future. It is essential to teach them at an early age that they can accomplish any task or challenge through having self-confidence and the willingness to work hard at it. Montessori Education does just that by developing your child’s self-confidence and ability to confront struggles and obstacles that may arise during their lives as adults.
